Shelter from the Storm
by YoursTCupp
Summary: “...I shouldn’t feel the way I do so fast; I know it. And I certainly shouldn’t feel the way I do about him at all, but it’s happened and I can’t take it back. I don’t think I would if I could..." Chapter 6 is up my friends.
1. No Amount of Flattery

Shelter From the Storm

In which Hermione Granger through no fault of her own becomes the hostess of the most obnoxious self-absorbed amoral human being since Gilderoy Lockhart, at least so she thinks. Dramione, obviously.

No Amount of Flattery

"Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood, when blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud," Draco Malfoy sang dolefully as he and two of his former arch nemesis took the lift. " I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form 'come in,' she said, 'I'll give you shelter from the storm.'"

"Do you have to be so melodramatic?" Harry winced.

"Yeah Ferret can you stop singing for three more floors, my ears are ringing." The Weasel added, rubbing at one of the abnormally large ears that seemed to be troubling him.

"I'm sorry." Draco amended. The other two young men grunted in accent. They grunted too soon. "That you both have such poor taste in music," he rejoined with an amused sort of smile. "Bob Dylan is the man."

"Malfoy if you don't shut that horrible hole in your face, by the time we reach Hermione's flat you really will be a creature devoid of form." Harry growled. "Better behave yourself as well, it's going to take a hell of a lot to convince her to give you shelter. She just might start up at storm at the suggestion."

"She can do that?" Malfoy asked curiously.

"Who's Bob Dylan?" Ron wondered aloud.

The elevator gave that significant little _bing_ that meant you'd reached your floor and the doors opened. Harry stepped out onto the thirteenth floor with determination and a look that said quite clearly that he was a bit miffed. Ron followed with a look that said his question about Bob Dylan had yet to be answered. Draco came next with the serene look of a man who had just done something incredibly amusing for thirteen floors in a very slow elevator, that is annoying the hell out of Harry and Ron. This look did very much to hide the scant trace of trepidation that threatened to trip him in his steps. Draco smirked. Alliteration at this point was downright insane. He was going mad. But if he were going to go mad at least he would have a roommate who appreciated alliteration, if not him.

He had not seen the grammatically adept Hermione Granger in three years, not since the end of the war, at least not in person. Her face had of course been splattered across the pages of the _Prophet_ quite often, she being a huge mucky-muck with the Ministry and all now. She along with Nod Depor, the new Minister of Magic, elected mostly thanks to Hermione, were bringing about a huge reformation within the Ministry. Hermione, as second in command, was sacking, hiring, and implementing left and right. It seemed that Hermione being a Ministry mucky-muck meant that most of the mucky in the Ministry was being put out. She was just as brilliant and determined as she had been in she and Draco's school days. _Probably bossier and nosier too. _Draco thought to himself. She'd probably toss him out on his bum sooner than look at him.

Harry knocked and waited. Ron was still wondering who Bob Dylan was and Draco stared incredulously down at the welcome mat. It was hideous. It was a deep color of purple, fluffy, and read quite tritely "Beware of Cat".

"I'm moving in with a cat lady." He tried not to appear as aghast as he felt.

"Witches are supposed to have cats," Ron said simply.

"And she only has one, so she's not quite the cat lady." Harry said and although Ron and Draco knew little of Harry's previous experience with cat ladies they didn't argue.

"Yet," Ron added darkly.

"Shut up Ron," said Harry. "Mione is not going to become a cat lady."

"Argus Filch had a cat," Draco supplied. "Sometimes I dread to think about how attached to Mrs. Norris he was and why."

"Then don't and shut up Malfoy. Just shut up." Harry ordered.

The door swung open and a bright smile crossed Harry's face where a menacing look had been only a second before.

"Mione!" He and Ron said in unison, like mind controlled zombies Draco thought with some odd pleasure. Hermione Granger smiled. Ron elbowed Draco roughly.

"Granger," Draco murmered. He refused to rub the side that had just received a liberal helping of Ron's elbow. _Weasley bastard. _Hermione's smile flickered, but like any polite politician she held her cool and it didn't fall.

"Come in."

**. . . . . . . . . .**

"No. No, no, no. No." Hermione hissed sharply over her coffee table at her two best friends, "Just because you two have happy little lives and I live all by myself doesn't mean you can't shunt the Prince of Snakes off on me."

The Prince of Snakes was currently sipping a cup of tea quietly in her kitchen, while the three "chatted" i.e. argued, about where to house his "defective ass" as Harry had so politely put. Draco smiled, defective though it might be, it was still a nice ass. He wiggled it in the chair affectionately and then stopped because the squeaking of the wood on tile didn't allow him to hear the conversation in the other room as well as he'd like.

"But he can't stay with Ron and Luna. There will be a murder within hours and you know it." Harry said.

"I'll off him right now if you want me to." Ron agreed, taking out his wand for emphasis, "Solve all of our problems."

"Put that away Ronald before you hurt yourself," Hermione commanded. Draco smirked as the cracking of a whip sounded in the back of his head.

"And he can't stay with Harry and Ginny, cause Ginny's preggers and I don't want to know what she'll do to Malfoy if he upsets her. Frankly, I'm scared for Harry's life and she's been in love with him since second year." Ron argued.

"It's not that bad," Harry told him. Ron and Hermione looked at him knowingly. "Okay, so she has a bit of a temper. She's six months in cut her some slack."

"Can't he stay with someone else?" Hermione pleaded.

"He's a high priority witness to the state." Harry returned. Draco took a small delight that even Harry Potter had to consider him high priority, even if it was in a penal code sort of way. "He can't just stay anywhere and aren't you the one that implemented the Defective and Witness Protection Policy in the first place? Who better for the job?"

"No one could keep a better eye on him, 'cept maybe Moodey, but even I wouldn't wish that on Malfoy." Ron added. _So the Weasel has a heart._

"No amount of flattery is going to change my mind," Hermione said crossing her arms firmly across her chest.

"Come on Mione, if not for the glory, do it for us." Harry said beseechingly.

"I can't go to prison. Think of my children." Ron whined piteously.

"Ron, you don't have any children." Hermione gritted.

"Someday I might," he replied lamely.

"We will be forever in your debt," Harry said. Draco had the faint notion that Harry and Ron were both at Hermione's feet.

"As if you aren't already," Hermione reminded them.

**. . . . . . . . . . .**

Hermione's house for the defective, amoral, obnoxious, and stupendously heinous refugees was now open for business.

"So what's for dinner?" Draco asked with an infuriatingly pleased look upon his face when the door shut behind Harry and Ron.

_They owe me big. _

Hermione thought dismally before fixing Draco with a severe look. He only smiled more.

_They owe me real big._

………

_Well, that's it for chapter one. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Feedback drives me. I'd love to have your esteemed opinion. Yes, I'm buttering you up. Yours, T. Cupp_


	2. Deadly Umbrellas

I was too impatient to wait till monday to post another chapter.

Oh yeah, and I forgot: None of these characters belong to me excepting Nod Depor. The rest all belong to the incredible J.K.Rowling and Warner Brothers. Lucky.

...

**Deadly Umbrellas**

"_So what's for dinner?" Draco asked with an infuriatingly pleased look upon his face when the door shut behind Harry and Ron._

_They owe me big. _

_Hermione thought dismally before fixing Draco with a severe look. He only smiled more._

_They owe me real big._

**. . . . . . . . . . .**

Hermione did her best to regain a smile.

"Ever had spaghetti?" Hermione asked and to her surprised Draco's face lit up. "I'll take that as a yes."

She started into the kitchen and he followed.

"Will there be garlic bread," he asked with somewhat childlike glee.

"That's a distinct possibility. Not that your breath needs it," Hermione returned.

"I like possibilities and I'll have you know I'm minty fresh. Care to find out for yourself?" Draco asked hopping up to sit on her counter as she stretched to retrieve pasta from a cabinet.

"I never mix business with pleasure Malfoy," she said, "and get off my counter."

"So kissing me would be a pleasure then?" He asked grinning widely.

"Hardly." Hermione rejoined firmly, ripping open the refrigerator door to look for tomatoes. He hadn't even been there half an hour and he was already turning her words around on her. When she closed the door he was standing just on the other side.

"Then you wouldn't be mixing anything, therefore why not find out for yourself," he said reaching out to tug on a curl of her hair.

Hermione thrust the tomatoes into his hands and shoved him back a couple inches.

"Make yourself handy instead of handsy Malfoy or sleep on the street." Hermione ordered. _I will not blush._

"Yes mommy," he replied in a sing song voice. "And please, call me Draco."

"Not likely Malfoy, and don't call me mommy."

She busied herself putting a pot of water on the boil as Draco diced the tomatoes.

_I think I'm going to like it here. _

Hermione deftly cracked the stiff spaghetti noodles in half without any strain and plopped them into the bubbling pot.

_If I survive._

**. . . . . . . . . . .**

Hermione watched in amazement as Draco devoured, with exquisite table manners, the contents of four plates of spaghetti and a half a loaf of garlic bread, extra butter. Somewhere in the massacre of their meal her distaste for the hungry fellow across from her had been replaced with sympathy and concern. His eyes weren't as hollow and dark as Sirius's had been, but still there was a lost kind of look to them. He looked paler and thinner as well, she noted.

"How can you eat so much," she asked, appalled, as the last forkful of spaghetti disappeared into Draco's pristine mouth.

"Living on the lam for three years tends to make one very hungry," Draco rejoined after swallowing. "Your flat is cozy." He said looking around, " I like that."

Hermione snorted. Then she realized he was serious and felt incredibly rude and shocked.

"Thanks." She replied.

"I believe, I'm more in your debt," He returned. "I meant it you know. After staying in bus stops, train stations, and barns for sometime you learn to appreciate things. It's small, but I like it. You can tell it's yours."

"How so?"

"There's a book in every room. The colors in the living room suit you and the cook books in the kitchen are alphabetized. Bet you even color code your linens. While a tad neurotic, it's all around pleasant and warm. It's humble too. I know you have money for something bigger, but you like what you have."

He was somehow both very frank and flattering.

"I wasn't aware you liked things quaint," Hermione said simply.

"There are a lot of things you are surprisingly unaware of." Draco shrugged. Before Hermione could ask him to apprise her of just what those things were, the other member of the household arrived mewling wildly. Crookshanks was three years older and three years worse for the ware. He was a decidedly ugly cat, but Hermione loved him still. "What is that monstrous thing?" Draco asked, turning in his chair.

"That is my cat and _his_ name is Crookshanks," Hermione said stiffly, then warned, "Careful, he doesn't like strangers."

She was very much taken aback when Crookshanks stalked bow-legged up to Draco, bottle brush tail held high and leapt soundly into his lap. There he sat purring delightedly as Draco with some astonishment stroked him behind his fluffy ears. He turned a satisfied smile on Hermione.

"Guess I'm welcome here."

"For now," Hermione replied.

_. . . . . . . . . ._

Draco insisted on washing the dishes. Odd though it was, Hermione consented so long as she got to dry them. He did them by hand another thing that was very odd in her opinion.

"You learn not to use magic so much, when it could get you detected," He said in answer to her look, as he rolled up the sleeves to his button down shirt. Crookshanks purred around their ankles. "You also learn, how to walk quietly and just how much dumb luck you were born with." Hermione laughed and he added, "I happen to be in possession of an astounding amount of dumb luck."

"Where exactly have you been for three years?" Hermione asked.

"Plenty of places. Loads of good ones, loads more bad ones. Tibet even," He said.

"We looked for you all over." She told him.

"And my parents? Did you look for them," He asked. There was a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yes, we did. Elusiveness, must be a family trait. We haven't found them, but their listed as defectors instead of convicts, deadly force won't be used in taking them, if we ever find them that is."

"Probably holed up somewhere nice and peachy." Draco said with a smile.

"Sipping umbrella drinks as we speak," Hermione added jovially.

"Nah, Father would rather dehydrate and could think of ten ways to kill someone with that little umbrella and Mother likes her liquor hard." Draco rejoined almost nostalgically.

"They sound pleasant." Hermione said.

"I'm afraid, pleasant is not one of the Malfoy family traits." Draco replied simply.

The dishes were done.

"I'll show you where you can sleep and shower." Hermione said drying her hands.

"Is it cushy?" He asked, with overplayed excitement as he followed her out of the kitchen.

"A regular Taj-Mahal," Hermione supplied.

**. . . . . . . . . . **

Draco was forever finding things in Hermione's apartment that were neurotic, intriguing, and useful altogether, much like his hostess. He had only been there a few hours but he had been astounded by many things: her brilliant movie collection, the absolute flood of books, and quite disturbingly a collection of porcelain cats. _Cat lady. _His latest figure of intrigue was a conveniently placed dry erase board, that read,

Don John File Monday!

Buy more orange juice.

Call Mom.

Paperclips.

_Egad! She even works in the shower._

The steam of Draco's shower seemed to double back away from the board, which was it seemed cleverly charmed to repel water. Hermione's neat script was remarkably untouched. _For now. _Draco grinned as he washed shampoo from his hair. Her bath wash smelled nice, not at all fruity and very clean, like wildflowers. He slathered a liberal amount on him and lathered until he was fluffy white. _That ought to rid me of the Weasel smell. _He was pleased that after rinsing, the scent remained. He toweled off roughly and wrapped the towel around his waist. _Let the games begin._

He exited the bathroom just as Hermione was coming to bang on the door. There he stood, mostly naked, slightly damp, and hair askew.

"Excuse me," He said grinning as Hermione glued her jaw shut mentally. It had rebelliously attempted to free itself entirely and drop to the floor. He padded down the hall without looking back and Hermione shut herself in the bathroom as quickly as humanly possible.

"Someone sick and twisted is running my life." She told the mirror.

"Not from where I'm standing," It replied suggestively.

Hermione gave a groan of disgust, disrobed, and stepped into the shower. That slimy git had used a quarter of her body wash. She washed her hair and let the heat of the shower expel most of the stress from her shoulders. _I need milk. _She thought and turned to her board. Just as she was about to will the words upon the board. Her list wobbled like hot air on asphalt and disappeared. In it's place a loopy scrawl emerged.

_Don't act like you're not impressed. _

Draco heard the barely repressed shriek of exasperation from his room down the hall. Twenty minutes later he heard her shuffle past his door.

"Sure I can't sleep with you?" He called.

"Positive." He heard her grit out, steps beyond his door.

"What if I get cold?" He wondered.

"There's an extra blanket at the end of the bed Malfoy. Go to sleep."

"Yes mommy," He replied just as giddily as he had before.

Hermione groaned in suppressed agony and trekked off to her room, where she attempted to fall instantly asleep, but something was missing.

That something was currently purring under Draco's chin.

"Guess I won't be lonely." Draco said aloud. He sniffed. He smelled of Hermione's wild flower soap and his pillow had definitely been involved with some scented fabric softener at some point.

_Cushy. I like it here. _

_..._

_So, how did I do? I could use some opinions, even if it's something like "That'll do pig...that'll do." Thinks she's lost her touch, T. Cupp_


	3. Angels and Orcas

In a desperate attempt to prove that this story is going somewhere, albeit slowly, I have installed chapter three. The first blossums of romance…the tiny buds that they are…make their debut appearance in chapter three.

Once again…Hermione…and Draco are characters from the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling…sadly I own nothing but this incredibly snail-like plot…

**Angels and Orcas**

Hermione was used to many things. Some of these things were: tuna salad Tuesdays, coffee with three spoonfuls of sugar and liberal creamer, and quiet mornings. Since the arrival of Draco Malfoy, a week before, most of those things had changed. Well, all of those things had changed. Pickle relish had been added to the tuna salad, she now fixed two cups of coffee in the morning, one with four spoonfuls of sugar. Lastly mornings were not so quiet. Mornings were about as quiet as root canals are fun, so not at all. Unless you were a dentist, like Hermione's parents, in which case the thought of a root canal was both intriguing and fun. It still made Hermione shudder.

"Just call me angel of the morning angel, just touch my cheek before you leave me baby," Draco sang with no regard to volume or pitch from the kitchen. Crookshanks yowled along to Hermione's chagrin, in a congenial sort of way. They were conspirators, in the fact that they were obviously far too happy in the morning to be legal and they had obviously hatched an evil plot to drive her around the twist. Pots banged as Hermione lay in bed, wondering if she should huddle under the covers all day or not. She had the sneaking suspicion that Draco might be cooking. That couldn't be good, Draco cooking or the fact that she had thought of him as Draco rather than Malfoy Prince of Snakes.

"And slowly walk away, I won't beg for you to stay with me." Draco continued, dragging out the last note rather inhumanly. He continued to belt the Pretenders song while Hermione attempted to pretend he was no longer there. She failed miserably.

Hermione tottered to the bath before unleashing what looked to be a disaster in the kitchen on her senses. There she brushed her teeth and dragged a brush through her hair.

"That's better." The mirror said serenely. Hermione had come to think that the mirror was a quite a pervert and had taken to not replying. It sniffed airily when she left.

**. . . . . . . . . . **

In the three years after the war Draco had lost many things and most of his sanity, but he had regretfully gained one thing, a conscience. A week of free-loading was enough to make him toss and turn, which seemed to upset Crookshanks. The cat had taken to sleeping with him, yet another reason to be guilty. _I've stolen the cat lady's cat._ He had no clue why the menacing orange fur ball had taken so much to him. It clearly appreciated any man that was not Potter or Weasley. Draco had come to the knowledge that food was by far one of the greatest comforts on earth. Breakfast was the king of all meals. Eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, toast and jam were as to delightful as Crookshanks was to ugly. Draco had prepared no less than seven kinds of eggs for he didn't know Hermione's preferred kind, a considerably large portion of bacon, waffles and toast. He had also freshly squeezed orange juice. This was his offering to the vicious roommate goddess, so in the event that he crossed her as he usually did, she would be less inclined to rip his soul from his body and devour it.

"Why are you singing at this ungodly hour?" Hermione interrupted just at the crescendo complete with silent air guitar. Draco grinned sheepishly. Sheepish was a new look for him. Snakelike, good, devilish, good, but sheepish that one was new. Draco spent a lot of his time sheepish lately.

"Breakfast makes me happy??" he supplied weakly.

_Breakfast does sound good._

The voice in her head that had recently taken a liking to Dra…Prince of Snakes made an appearance.

_He's stolen my cat, wrecked my kitchen, and shattered all of my once peaceful mornings,_

Another voice argued back vehemently.

_He also fixed you seven kinds of eggs and a small continent of bacon…scratch that…large continent…like maybe Asia._

Draco watched as Hermione smiled, frowned, and then smiled again. _Any moment now I should bolt for the door. Better be fast, that wench is quick. Maybe she's still stunned from my singing. _

"I think I will have some breakfast," Hermione finally concluded. Draco was flooded with relief. _My soul is intact. _He subsequently flooded a bowl with warm milk for Crookshanks. _After all, she couldn't kill me in front of the cat. I'm his favorite. _"Why are there so many kinds of eggs?" Hermione asked.

"I didn't know which kind you like and whatever you don't like I'll eat," Draco replied. He continued to hum Angel of the Morning.

"Thank you." She found the unreal amount of eggs genuinely sweet. "Your singing is terrible by the way." Hermione told him, munching on the beginnings of her continent of bacon. If she thought about it really creatively, she'd just swallowed half of India. No, there was still quite a bit of bacon left, maybe just an eighth of India. Hermione thought of odd things in the morning.

"You should hear yourself in the shower," Draco returned, " You know orcas use sound waves and vibrations to stun fish so they can eat them. Lately they don't have to, the sound of you singing kills fish instantly for miles." Hermione laughed.

"You're not allowed to watch the Discovery Channel anymore Draco." Hermione said, and gulped solidly. _I said Draco._ He appeared not to notice the sudden breach in her icy code.

"Hermione Granger: Werewolf Rights Leader, philanthropist, and orca feeder. Shamu thanks you," He continued jovially, as if he'd never heard the last word of her previous sentence. _She called me Draco._

Hermione continued to laugh, choking on her eggs.

"The travel channel is out too."

……

_So ends chapter three…Do Brits know of Shamu??…Sea World is all over the travel channel…they've got to…or so I hope…Reviews…those would be nice…not likely…but nice…haha…T.Cupp_


	4. Like a Crocodile

Hey Darlings: Chapter Four is up...In which things aren't so…funny…sorry…little romance hinted at though…oh and I ignored the epilogue just so you know. Dumbledore is quite alive, like Elvis, only skinnier and without the sequins. That's almost all the humor you'll get and it's not even really in the chapter.

**Like a Crocodile**

_Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn…come in she said, I'll give ya shelter from the storm. _

The flat was quiet. It was a bit unnerving. Hermione had returned home very late from work to find a quarter of a pizza waiting on her kitchen counter. She had cracked Draco's door to find him sound asleep, long arm slung over Crookshanks. _Traitor._

After shamelessly devouring the greasy four meat extravaganza from heaven she decided to take a shower. She wasn't in the mood to sing though. Somewhere a large tuna sighed in salty relief, of course it came out as only bubbles. Draco's scrawl was etched on the board, waiting in the steam for her.

_You work too hard._

Her shoulders, tense from the long day, agreed as Hermione tried to wash the stench of politics off of her. Some days she didn't know whose side she was on, the good or the bad. Right now, with the drawing of the werewolf rights acts she was hailed as both a deliverer and a lunatic. Hate mail flooded her office. She was used to that. She burnt them all, just as Hagrid had told her to back in her school days. _Bloody zealots._ Nod Depor had been a helping hand to the cause, as had Harry and Ron. It wasn't enough for Hermione that some people to joined the cause merely because Harry Potter endorsed it. _Like muggle tennis shoes. _It wasn't a sales pitch it was a program to preserve the rights of human beings, but who was she to argue. A supporter was a supporter. She was grateful for all that Harry had done. He felt no gratitude was needed. Remus Lupin had been a father figure to Harry for so long, after all. Hermione smiled weakly. Remus was her inspiration, her hitching post, she was bound and determined to free that man of the shame and prejudice he did not deserve. In the angry sea of political affairs that determination was her life preserver. Only today she felt like she was bobbing up and down on that life preserver with nobody willing to cast her a line and pull her aboard. She shook the nautical metaphor out of her head and stepped from the shower. _I need to relax._

Minutes later, found her in cozy pajamas on the sofa, sipping a hot mug of mint tea and delving into the pages of one of her old favorites. She was only into the fifth chapter when the noise started. A low keening whine separated her from the pages. I subsided to a whimper and then whined again. Crookshanks mewled plaintively from down the hall. _Draco. _Without hesitation, she cast the book aside and rushed to his room. Crookshanks had defected to the floor and Draco tossed and turned violently in the sheets, occasionally wailing, sweat hot on his forehead. She'd seen this with Harry so many times. _Nightmares. _She cautiously stepped to the side of the bed and leaned over Draco, shaking him gently.

"Draco, wake up! It's just a dream. It's just a dream." She repeated, shaking him until his eyes flickered open and he stared at her dazed. His gray eyes were silver in the light of the moon that fell across his bed. They looked so sad.

"No, not a dream. Memories," He said groggily and his eyes fluttered shut once again. "Stay." He half asked and ordered in his sleep. Surprisingly, Hermione found herself edging under the covers, allowing Draco's head to fall upon the crook of her shoulder. Like she had done with Harry so many time. _He isn't Harry._ Crookshanks joined them soon after and the room fell quiet, except for the heavy breathing of the sleepers. Draco and the cat. Hermione could not sleep. For years she had seen Draco as someone unaffected and above the war, a lucky defector. But she knew that sad look in his eyes. He had lost something along the way too, but what? She knew it was wrong, but she had to know. To know why Draco was Draco instead of Malfoy now. Why he checked the wards before he went to bed, why she never heard his steps, and we he looked so haunted even when he laughed. She placed a hand on his chest, willing him not to wake up and closed her eyes. _I have to know, no matter what._

"Legimens," she whispered and instantly wished she hadn't.

She was standing in a dark room. A woman she recognized as Draco's mother wept in the corner. Lucius brooded by the fire.

"He has to go. My Lord will kill us all for his failure," he said sharply. There was desperation in his voice.

"I didn't fail at anything Father, I merely decided not to do as I was told," Draco said icily. He stood next to Hermione. He looked so bold.

"You realize by not killing that old fool, you have signed our death warrants? Didn't you think of our safety?" His father didn't even look at him, but eyed the door way warily.

"I believe as much as a fool he is, the world is a safer place with Dumbledore in it," Draco replied unabashed.

"Not for us you impudent boy. The Dark Lord will blast open that door in the morning when he finds you have disobeyed him and he'll kill us slowly I'm sure." Lucius spat.

"Then I suggest we not be behind that door. I'm taking what I can carry and defecting. I suggest you do to Father. If you won't take Mother to safety I will, by force if necessary." Draco argued, his last words a low threat.

"How dare you threaten me! You're nothing but a spoiled child with a toy stick."

"A child, am I? The Dark Lord chose a child to fulfill the bulk of his mission instead of you Father? You know I'm powerful. I have no need to demonstrate. Do not make me. Take Mother and leave within the hour. He'll come sooner than you think."

Lucius fell quiet. Narcissa rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her son.

"Won't you come with us?" she sobbed. She looked as if she had once been elegant. But like a lily without light, she had wilted.

"You'll be safer without me Mother. He will look for me the hardest. I ruined his plans. I gave them to Potter. I betrayed him. Hopefully he will hunt me so hard he won't think to look for you."

"I'll see you again," She said kissing his forehead.

"Yes, you will." He replied.

Lucius tugged her away and out of the room. He didn't say goodbye.

The dream shifted and Hermione watched as the Malfoy Manor burnt to the ground. The Dark Mark hung heavy in the sky. Some of the servants had lingered longer than was wise. It shifted again and Hermione was running through the woods behind Draco, the moonlight glinted off his hair. A chill ran up her spine when a wild howl rent the sky. She knew it. _Fenir_. Draco raced further ahead. The nightmare melted into another of Draco sleeping soundly on a ragged sofa, or so it seemed. His eyes opened instantly. He picked up his head to listen to a sound Hermione had missed. She waited and again, footsteps. He threw the blanket aside and she felt the tug of apparition, just as the door blasted off it's hinges. For minutes on end she ducked curses and felt the heat of the jinxes as Draco battled his way through countless nightmares. Finally they calmed and the faces of Harry and Ron swam into view. Draco was instantly unarmed. He spat and cursed. Ron knocked him out. They brought him to Hogwarts where Dumbledore and Pomfrey watched over him for days. Then Dumbledore suggested her. She rode the elevator as Draco sang. She listened with Draco as he eavesdropped on their conversation. She watched herself eat the breakfast he'd spent all morning cooking. She watched him scratch Crookshanks under the chin and baby talk while she was away at work. She watched him watch her as she cooked dinner. To her surprise, she watched him get up in the night and check the wards again, even the one on her door, Crookshanks followed silently in the dark. Then it was over. Hermione's hand quaked on Draco's chest. Her eyes were hot with tears. Draco still slept, she noticed with relief. A single tear fell and she let out that relief in a sigh. Too soon.

"You know, I could have just told you." He muttered.

"I…I…had to know." She stammered quickly, "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok, to find things out is in your nature," He said simply, his eyes were still closed.

"Not just sorry for that, Draco, sorry for everything." She said in the dark.

There was a long pause, in which Hermione thought he'd gone back to sleep. Then,

"I'm sorry for everything too."

The moon fell behind a thick cloud and Hermione found herself falling asleep next to Draco. _Next to Draco, never thought I'd sleep like that._ His arm draped over her side, but it didn't matter. Hermione slept soundly curled to fit perfectly with Draco's body. He slept too and for once didn't have to imagine a place safe and warm. He was there.

_Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm…come in she said, I'll give ya shelter from the storm._

…..

Another end to another chapter. By the way "Shelter from the Storm" belongs to Bob Dylan… Review please, updating is so incredibly hard without reviews. Greatest thanks goes to **spikeecat** and **touchthemoon985** without whom this chapter would have not been posted. Draco blows you a huge kiss. He didn't very much like the idea of being discontinued. He also reminds you menacingly not to tell anyone he blew you a kiss. More romance coming soon…I promise. T.Cupp


	5. A Fool's Errand

_Ok, I must apologize. I had finals and a forty-four hour work week. I'm in overtime and I just couldn't find time to write. I'm so terribly sorry, but I hope this chapter made up for it. It's got goodies. Oodles of goodies in my opinion._

_Once again, characters belong to J.K….plot, albeit a horrible one, belongs to me._

**A Fool's Errand**

_Ooh-wah ooh-wah, ooh-wah ooh-wah, Ooh-wah ooh-wah, why do fools fall in love _

Very little ever escaped Draco's attention, in fact he often saw more than he should. This morning was one of the mornings in which his gift for observation was far too disconcerting. After waking he had observed with a terrifying feeling of contentment, Hermione Granger, sleeping soundly in his arms, wild golden brown curls spilt over the pillow top. He noticed with trepidation and satisfaction how her scent still lingered on his pillows long after she had escaped in a way she hoped was nonchalantly, though blushing profusely to the shower. He also noted with a mix of pleasure and the beginnings of a headache that she was once again singing as the water ran. _Poor fish. _Then he also came to the conclusion that they had very much slept in. A grin spread across his face. Hermione Granger never slept in, not even on such a beautiful Saturday as this one. But she had, and with him, Draco Malfoy. _I wager she hasn't even seen the clock yet._ Then his stomach rumbled interrupting his mental victory parade. Since the war Draco had come to put his appetite before his ego. A humble scrap of bread is often times more accessible than caviar. So it was with great humility that he went to raid his roommate's refrigerator. Only upon opening the door he found it lacking anything of lunch value. While there was a considerably large jar of pickles there was not much else to be found. He had decimated most of her stock in the preparation of the Breakfast to Teach All "Breakfasts" What A Real Breakfast Is, i.e. Not a Granola Bar, or as he liked to call it his Lord of the Breakfast Extravaganza. He closed the fridge and slid agilely up onto the counter and focused a nearly patented pout on the doorway Hermione would enter through. Crookshanks arrived and cried for his morning, now afternoon's sustenance.

"Sorry, old boy, there's not a drop of milk in the whole place," Draco told him shrugging. Crookshanks soon joined him on the counter, yellow eyes watching the door, tail a-swish. "Don't worry," Draco told him confidently, "I have a plan."

Hermione entered the kitchen under great scrutiny. Two of the four men in her life were currently united in some evil plot to stare her to death.

"What do you want now?" She asked with exasperation.

Upon looking at Hermione, fresh from the shower, hair still damp, amber eyes bright and alert, dressed in a tiny red camisole and gray sweats, he decided it was best that he not mention exactly what he wanted. She smelled of wildflowers again. _I'd like to drag you back to my room, throw you on the bed and…no definitely don't tell her what I want now._ After a considerable pause, Draco cleared his throat.

"Crookshanks and I are hungry. The fridge is empty." He made sure to make his eyes look as round and innocent as they could. Though his eyes were capable of many looks, innocent was not one of them. Round they could do though.

"And?" Hermione prompted.

"I've been cooped up for a month now. Can I come to the grocery store with you please?" He whined. "I'm so bored, I'm going crazy."

"Your sanity was questionable to begin with," She countered.

"Come on Hermione, you're the most brilliant witch this side of forever and you're telling me you can't possible concoct a way to take me grocery shopping without a fatality on your hands?" Draco pleaded. He was winning he could see it in her face. He knew she already had an idea.

"Stop flattering me Draco and come here," She beckoned. "I have an idea."

Draco also had ideas, but he wasn't going to expand on them. He followed her down the hall to the office, in which he had sat a few nights as she worked and attempted to ignore him throwing paper airplanes to Crookshanks.

"I've been meaning to test these for sometime now, but hadn't come across an opportunity like this." She said as she removed a blue and red vial from her desk. She handed him the red.

"What's this?" He asked eyeing the serum with some suspicion.

"A New Face Potion. It instantly rearranges and changes your features, without the pain or disgust of a polyjuice potion. Nor do you have to become someone from which you've gathered a physical piece of."

Draco looked disgusted.

"I know, dreadful. The potions are linked by a spell so you and I will see each other as we truly are, but others will see us with random features drawn forth by the potion."

"How did you come up with this?" Draco asked.

"We found a unique gene in metamorphagi DNA and we were able to duplicate its results temporarily in a potion," she replied as if having finding out how to instantly change into another person without pain was no big deal.

"You're a bloody genius you know that." He told her.

"Yes I am. They also taste like peppermint which was a trick in its own, bottoms up."

Draco downed the potion quickly. It tasted like peppermint with a slight hint of something that was clearly not peppermint, but all in all it wasn't half bad. He felt a coolness on his skin like it had been coated for a moment in a light frost and then it was gone.

"Do we look different?" he asked.

Hermione was standing in the mirror. She looked just the same.

"Come see. You can tell by your reflection."

"Another clever trick of yours."

_Brilliant trick actually. _

Draco was tall and had an olive complexion. His hair was dark and lengthy and while he normally was clean shaven, a goatee surrounded a sensual mouth. Dark eyes stared out at him.

"Wicked."

He turned to look at Hermione's reflex ion. She was a curvy, honey blonde with blue eyes and she was smiling a bit bashfully with full red lips.

"Merlin, Hermione you're stacked."

Her reflection blushed violent red and she promptly smacked him in the arm.

"Shut up Malfoy."

"You know you can't call me that in public. Until we're safely home I suggest pseudonyms. I'll be honey and you can be baby."

"You can't possibly be serious." She said severely, picking up her purse from the desk.

"Incredibly, our characters are obviously not siblings and I say we get into character." He snapped his fingers and matching rings appeared on their fingers. "Temporary crowd control." Her eyes narrowed. "Have you seen yourself??" His pitch raised. "You're liable to give a bagboy a coronary with a set like that."

She again hit him, much harder this time.

"Let's go _honey_." She growled.

"After you _babe_," He said smiling, pushing her soundly into the fireplace and following after.

They emerged at a floo point a block away from the grocer's and walked there. To Hermione's dismay Draco swung her hand in his casually. Although the dismay was really more for the fact that she liked where her hand was, rather than because he was holding it.

Shopping with Hermione was fun Draco concluded. Not only was she exceptionally meticulous in picking out every purchase, she was a happy shopper. People who shop grumpy, shop frugally. Draco didn't like frugal, not one bit. It was also fun to shop with Hermione when under a New Face Potion, particularly one that made them look like an incredibly attractive couple. He took a lot more delight than he had previously thought he would in the amount he got to touch her without retribution. Wheeling down the aisle with a hand on the small of her back and leaning in close to ask questions were some of the things he took advantage of in his new form. Shopping incognito was going to be a scheduled event from now on. The way her eyes widened in surprise when leaned in toward her face was incredibly amusing. _She acts like she's never been kissed before. _He thought as he added an unnecessary amount of cereals, none of which had any nutritional value, to their cart.

"We need chicken and pasta noodles." He said simply. "And pick out a wine."

"Why?" Hermione wondered as he led her down an aisle of wine bottles.

"Because I'm going to cook you dinner Monday night love," he replied.

Hermione almost dropped the bottle of chardonnay, but out of pure will it stayed clutched in her hand. She knew he didn't mean it that way; it was just a term of endearment. He was just playing a part, but he had said _love_ and for a second there it had felt like something. Something good, that wasn't supposed to be good, but it was. With their cart stacked precariously high the wheeled their burdened metal friend to the front with all their goodies. The speaker system played happily,

_Why do birds sing so gay, and lovers await the break of day Why do they fall in love Why does the rain fall from up above Why do fools fall in love, why do they fall in love _

They were preceded in line by a small girl and her grandmother who was loading the counter with canned peas. The tiny child blinked and smiled sweetly at them and tugged at her grandmother's skirt.

"Granny…"

"Yes, yes Amanda what is it?"

"They're pretty." Amanda whispered in a voice that wasn't really a whisper as children often do. Hermione smiled warmly.

"Don't point Mandy it's rude." The elderly lady chided and eyed them. Her eyes flickered to their hands suspiciously.

"Nosy old bat thinks I'm shagging you like crazy." Draco muttered to Hermione.

"No she doesn't." Hermione whispered back in a real whisper, smiling widely at Amanda, who was still peeking out from around her granny's skirts.

"With the body everyone's seeing on you but me, I'd be crazy not to." He winked roguishly, just in time for Amanda's grandmother to see. She scowled. That was all Draco needed. Without further hesitation he tugged Hermione to his chest and lowered his lips on hers firmly. At first he felt her stiffen in surprise, but she melted against him within moments. Even though he was supposed to be acting he couldn't resist teasing her lips with his tongue until she let him in with a sigh, his hand sliding into her hair. He couldn't resist pulling her closer and pressing on when she didn't resist.

_Love is a losing game, love can be a shame I know of a fool you see, for that fool is me Tell my why, tell me why _

Finally he released her smiling, seeing her eyes heavy lidded, her lips puffy, and her hair a little wilder than the usual. She blinked slowly and then blushed heavily. He grinned and winked again at Amanda's granny who looked positively appalled.

"That'll give the ol' bag something to glare about."

Hermione released a breath a shrugged at the old lady as she ushered Amanda away quickly. Draco laughed.

"What now?" Hermione asked still a little breathless.

"When Granny gets home she'll find she doesn't have peas at all. Amanda looked far too sweet to eat peas. I hate peas."

Hermione decided she didn't want to know what he had exchanged the peas for and quickly loaded most of their selections on the counter, wanting to be out the door before Draco decided to show more public affection. After leaving the grocery store Hermione sent their groceries home with a wave of her wand. Draco once again took her hand as they walked towards the floo point. They entered a wizarding part of London and window shopped lazily as they continued home. A large man came out of the store to the left of them and Draco met his eye, but they continued on. The man fell in a couple steps behind them and Hermione thought nothing of it until the man made a distinctive sniffing noise. Draco's hand clenched in hers.

"Run," He shouted. He tugged Hermione forward just as the man behind them lunged, catching her jacket. Draco tugged Hermione loose and they left the large man holding her coat as they ran. They soon heard his heavy footsteps falling on the pavement behind them as they dodged pedestrians. They could hear the sound of the man knocking people to the ground.

"Who is it?" Hermione gasped as they tore down the street. Only when they'd gotten a further ahead did Draco leave the crowded lane. Draco tugged her into an antique shop and continued to pull her out the back way into a small back alley.

"Fenir in disguise. He knows my scent." Draco returned quickly looking around the alley, trying to catch his breath. They heard the crash of shattering glass in the shop behind them.

"We have to go home now." He ordered sharply. Hermione grasped his hands and did her best to think levelly. She felt the usual tug at her naval and soon found herself gasping for breath on her living room floor. Draco laid next to her, his chest heaving.

"That was a close one," Hermione breathed.

Draco looked at her slowly and nodded. Her left hand still gripped his right tightly. _Too close, _He thought.

"Not splinched are you," She asked with feeble sweetness.

"No, you?" he returned.

"No. Feel like my hearts about to thud right out of my chest, but I've just been chased by a blood thirsty killer. Suppose that's normal." She replied.

"Aye, it's my regular routine." Draco said wryly.

**. . . . . . . . . . **

Later that night Draco lay in bed alone listening to the sounds outside his window. The door creaked open and he sat up wand in hand.

"It's just me Draco," Hermione said softly. He nodded and laid back down, he was surprised when she crawled from the foot of his bed to his side and pulled the covers over her. "After today there's a slight chance of nightmares on my part tonight." She said simply.

"Ah…that's what the forecast says does it?" Draco asked.

She yawned and nodded, her eyes closed.

"The forecaster knows everything," She replied, "Don't stay up all night Draco; my flat is a secret. Harry is the secret keeper. You, Ron, and Harry are the only ones besides me with the capability of finding this place."

"But I thought I wouldn't be able to." Draco said softly in the dark.

"I altered the spell two weeks ago. I trust you Draco." She mumbled sleepily, she blinked and smiled softly at him before turning over on her side. Her eyes momentarily caught the glimmer of the ring that had yet to fade from her hand even though the potion had long since worn off. She fell asleep focusing hard on how it had felt to be kissed by Draco. She had never been kissed like that in all her life. Those thoughts would keep dark dreams at bay.

Draco stayed awake a little longer. Though he was frightened by the fact that he had put her in danger and terrified by the fact that he cared, he was scared more than anything by the fact that he more than cared. He'd realized that standing in line watching Hermione smile at Amanda, the way her hair fell across honey brown eyes, and the way her cheeks were soft. He hadn't meant to kiss her like that. He hadn't known that he wanted to. But her mouth fit his perfectly and she tasted so sweet that even as he lay in the dark hours later he wanted to sample her kiss again. He couldn't get the song that had been playing in the market as he had kissed her out of his head and he knew it stayed only to mock him. He fell asleep as the words lingered along with her scent and taste on his mind.

_Why does my heart skip a crazy beat For I know I will reach defeat Tell me why, tell my why _

_Why do they fall in love Why...do fools...fall in love _

**. . . . . . . . . . . **

_And so ends another chapter, reviews would be so appreciated. Hit the button, hit the button! Hehe._

"_Why Do Fools Fall in Love" is sung by many, but the version I am referring to is sung by Frankie Lyma and the Teenagers. It's ancient which is precisely why I like it._

_Many, many, many thanks to _: **wait.siriusly.** - **Lordofthecrayons - ****Robyn Hawkes**** - ****jillianunleashed - touchthemoon985 - **_and_ **spikeecat**_ for your reviews because I just can't seem to write without them. So so so incredibly sorry once again for taking such an awful long time to write again. Gotta make money, gotta take finals…it's a cruel world. Haha._

_Much Love, T. Cupp_


	6. Monday Monday

_Hi there, ok so the delay was caused by a terrible case of writer's block, the lazies, and one family vacation with my future in-laws. But I promise I already have the next chapter lined up in my head, so there should not be much waiting for that one. It should be up by my next family vacation with my actual family and my fiance. I'm excited about the chapter yes, and the vacation. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, please R&R. _

_**Monday, Monday**_

_Monday Monday, so good to me, Monday Morning, it was all I hoped it would be, Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guaranteeThat Monday evening you would still be here with me._

The Mama's and the Papa's were entertaining Draco as he sampled a bowl of colorful fiber free cereal. He liked this Monday morning. It actually was a little more than he had hoped it would be. Draco didn't think he would ever wake up with Hermione Granger a second time, or even a first time for that matter. So this Monday happened to be particularly good to him, so far.

Albeit, he didn't have to get up and go to work. Hermione felt less than inclined to smile.

"That's shite, no one likes Mondays," She grumbled, sleepily. She eyed Draco's flamboyant cereal mixture with distaste and opened the fridge. "It's a terrible day of the week. Horrible things happen on Mondays."

"I like Mondays. Have you ever thought that maybe Monday is only so cruel because no one gives it a chance, like a school yard bully?" Draco queried.

"Speaking from personal experience Draco?" Hermione asked in her infuriating way of answering a question with a question as she rinsed an apple in the sink.

"No, I was merely suggesting that Monday deserves some slack. Nobody ever says T.G.I.M. No, it's always 'thank God it's Friday'. Wouldn't that make you a bit peeved?"

"It's a day of the week Draco. It has no feelings," Hermione argued.

Draco eyes widened.

"Take it back, Monday heard you." He whispered

Hermione rolled her eyes, took a bite of her apple, and disappeared down the hall.

Crookshanks mounted the counter and stared at Draco.

"I know mate, she shouldn't have said that."

**. . . . . . . . . . **

Clearly Monday did have feelings and today it felt like totally and completely destroying any shred of sanity Hermione had left. Those shreds were few and far in between, but Monday seemed to be finding all of them. The Don John file she'd personally pieced together and hand delivered, had somehow gotten lost before ever gracing the Minister's desk. She was in charge of Ginny's baby shower and had yet to put anything in order. She was supposed to meet Luna for lunch, but was running twenty minutes late, because she'd spent an hour digging through filing cabinets only to find out that Depor's bumbling receptionist had placed the Don John file on the corner of her desk and never gave it to him. Never had Hermione terrorized a fellow ministry employee to the point of tears until that morning.

She arrived at Haberdasher Café precisely twenty minutes later than she should have, but Luna seemed unfazed. Luna was rarely fazed by anything; it was a quality Hermione wished she could have sometimes.

"Take a breath Hermione," Luna said smiling slowly. "I ordered you a drink. I knew you'd need it, Gremio should be along with it any minute now." As if on cue a waiter was standing at their side and placing drinks on the table.

"I'll be back momentarily," He said smoothly and disappeared once again.

"Good service," Luna commented.

"You know I'm not supposed to imbibe during lunch," Hermione told her.

"I know a lot of things and I also know that you hardly slept last night, you're at wits end, and you need a drink. So shut up and drink your alcohol." Luna commanded. How she could command anything in a that dreamy, lost voice of hers was unknown to Hermione.

Somewhere during the war Hermione had stopped arguing with Luna about mythical creatures and Luna had become her best friend. Luna had also made it her personal mission to make Hermione relax if only for a few minutes a day. She often times succeeded.

"What is this," Hermione questioned staring down at the orange slice and cherry swirling on top of her icy drink.

"A Glass Tower. Vodka. Drink up," Luna ordered as she plucked the cherry from her own drink. "Shady Lady," She said answering Hermione's questioning glance. "Tequila, my personal choice. To working yourself to the bone and falling in love with your roommate," Luna toasted.

Hermione choked on her drink. She wasn't sure if it was because of the vodka or because of Luna's breathy toast, but both were choke worthy.

"What are you talking about Lovegood," Hermione rasped, placing her drink on the table and scooting it behind the salad Gremio had just delivered and covered in the blizzard of grated cheese Luna had demanded serenely as Hermione had regained her composure. She swallowed the chunk of ice that had lodged in her throat. _Monday._

"I'm talking about the blinding ring you're still wearing, the fact that when you're whole world's not in a complete state of crisis you hum whatever song Draco happened to be playing in the morning, and the fact that you only call me Lovegood when I'm right and you know it." Luna said slowly and simply sipping her Shady Lady with ease.

"The war made you more astute." Hermione grumbled.

"I was always astute, the war just made you admit it." Luna returned with a smirk.

"Draco would like you," Hermione said wryly. _Damn people and their damn smirking abilities. _Her lips just didn't curve that way.

"Of course he would, I'm a lovely person," Luna replied. _He would really like her. _"So what was the song choice this morning," She asked.

"Mama's and Papa's, 'Monday, Monday'," Hermione answered. She decided to nurse her drink. If she was going to go through the painful process of admitting Luna was right about her being in love with Draco she would do it with alcohol in her system, a lot of alcohol in her system. _Maybe I should order another._

"Good choice. I didn't know he liked muggle music," Luna said.

"Me either. There were a lot of things I didn't know about him."

"Do tell," Luna waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You're a sick one Lovegood. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Numerous times, carry on."

Hermione told her about the nightmares, the grocery store kiss, and the fact that she thought Crookshanks actually liked Draco more than her.

"It's infuriating. I want my cat back." Hermione said, sucking the last of her drink from the bottom of the glass.

"What's more infuriating your cat loves him, or that you do?" Luna queried.

"Both," Hermione supplied. The combination of Luna and liquor had loosened her up a bit. "What should I do?"

"Well, admitting it was the first step," Luna replied.

"Thank you Freud." Hermione returned sardonically. Draco's sense of humor was contagious. Luna giggled and continued.

" First of all, don't tell Ronald or Harry. Second of all, don't hold back. You resist all the time. Embrace for once Hermione Granger. Embrace literally and figuratively, if you catch my drift."

Even in her slightly drunken state Hermione was aware enough to understand.

"But what if I'm wrong and he doesn't really fancy me. What if it's just 'cabin fever'? He doesn't see any other female, but me. It's not love; it's a lack of choices."

"Hermione Granger you are hardly ever wrong. He's just as madly in love with you as you are with him and just as loathe to admit it, unless I'm wrong and I'm never wrong," Luna replied.

"I'm never letting you borrow _The Princess Bride _ever again Lovegood and finish your drink. Don't waste that stuff." Their orders came and they planned Ginny's baby shower. It was with great chagrin that Hermione returned to work and to the wrath of Monday. Even as she mounted the steps of the ministry the sky broke open in a down pour; she was drenched. _Monday, Monday. _A quick drying potion and a sober-up spell in the elevator and she was back to work. They'd managed to cover up that the mad man that had chased two people through Puck's Square and destroyed an antique shop before disappearing was a lycan. Had Fenir been named the perpetrator the werewolf rights bills would have been pushed further back. Minister Depor had left a note on her desk asking for a brief audience with her.

She arrived and brushed past Delia who seemed to cower behind her metal desk plate and straight into Nod's office. The minister was seated on his desk talking to two of Hermione's favorite men. Harry and Ron had been away on mission for three weeks and had only returned that morning. They had of course received word of Fenir's wild attack at Puck's square, a mere three blocks from Hermione's home. Harry rushed to sweep her into a hug and Ron followed nearly breaking bones and brushing a kiss on her forehead.

"No nicks, no bruises, all in one piece?" She asked.

"I've got a couple of little bruises here and there and Ron's looking at a broken rib or two. But all in all close enough to one piece that a mediwitch should have no problem patching us up," Harry replied grinning.

"How about you though Mione?" Ron asked he gave her a once over full of concern.

"Draco and I nearly splinched ourselves escaping, but it was nothing." She returned, ruffling his carroty hair.

"Nothing! Mione, Puck's Square is three blocks from your front door. That's too close. We need to move Malfoy somewhere else," Ron exclaimed. "It's just too dangerous."

"Don't be silly Ron. We apparated. There was no scent trail for him to follow to my door. Only a few people know the exact location of my home, none of which would betray me to Fenir. Draco and I are perfectly safe. At any rate the hearing is coming up soon." She didn't know why she was arguing so strongly for Draco to stay. _Of course you do. You can't imagine what that flat would feel like without him in it now. _She frowned at the rebellious heaving and steaming train of thought that had just veered off the tracks and crashed into her senses. She shook her head. Lengthy allusions were a bit of a distraction lately. Draco would have appreciated the grammatical humor though, what with his school yard bully theory and all. The three men hadn't noticed her trip to the crazy station apparently and had continued on, Ron arguing that "there's of course, no such thing as perfectly safe."

"Ron, Mione's saved our asses a million and one times and if it comes to it she'll save Malfoy's too. The best place for him is close to her." Harry contended. " She keeps her guard up and she knows what she's doing. Right Hermione?" He asked, more of a question in his voice than there should have been. Piercing green eyes settled on her and although they were filled with warmth they were also full of concern. _He's been back for only twenty minutes and he's already figured me out._

"Right, Harry." Hermione stammered only a little. _Harry Potter the Boy Who Knows All My Secrets._ "Thanks."

"So it's settled. Mr. Malfoy will remain with Hermione. Now, I've given you all today and tomorrow off. I don't want to see you on ministry property until Wednesday morning. Got it." Minister Depor ordered pleasantly as his door swung open with a slight breeze.

"But Nod," Hermione started.

"No buts Granger, get outta here." The Minister said with a grin.

"Come on Mione, I'll buy you a drink." Ron pledged dragging her out by her elbow. Harry followed grinning.

**.. . . . . . . . . .**

A trip to the medi-ward, a couple drinks, and a lot of laughter later Ron flooed home to Luna and Harry walked Hermione home to her flat.

"So how is the Ferret?" He asked cheerily as they mounted the first flight of stairs.

"Obnoxious, lethargic, and as vain as ever," Hermione replied, "Greedy bastard even stole cat."

Harry snorted, Hermione swearing was a rare, but humorous event.

"So…when did it happen?" He asked quietly.

"When did what happen?" Hermione replied, knowing all to well that Harry knew.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"When did Malfoy become Draco, Hermione? A month ago we had to force him into your flat and now you don't want him to leave it."

"Oh…when did _that _happen. I don't know actually." Hermione started. It was such an odd thing for her, starting a sentence with the words 'I don't know.' " I shouldn't feel the way I do so fast; I know it. And I certainly shouldn't feel the way I do about him at all, but it's happened and I can't take it back. I don't think I would if I could. He's just someone I never dreamed I'd love so much, not at all what I planned."

"If there's anything I learned from Hogwarts, it's that nothing goes as planned," Harry told her.

"You learned something at Hogwarts?" Hermione scoffed.

"Shut up Granger, I helped keep your Ferrety Lover Boy cooped in that flat of yours remember," He joked nudging her in the ribs. She blushed deep crimson.

"Don't tell Ron okay," She said, "It'll be worse than the Gilderoy Lockhart fiasco."

Harry snorted again.

"That was priceless," He said chuckling.

"Don't make me hex you Potter," she threatened as they reached her door.

"Don't worry Hermione, your secret's safe with me," Harry promised with a smile. Concern mixed with the green of his eyes again on the doormat. "Don't get in too far over your head. If something happens to you Mione, we really will have to kill him."

"Don't worry Harry. I've got everything under control. I may not be completely certain, but I guess that what makes him so captivating."

"Leave it to you to use big words when you're smashed," He replied, he leveled a quick sober up spell on the both of them.

"How did you know Harry," she asked, hand on the door knob.

He smiled and put a palm to her cheek.

"You've always been warm and surrounded by this kind of power, but I've never seen you glow like this. He's a lucky man." He stooped to kiss her cheek as usual, and the door opened.

"Oh.." Draco's eyes words faltered. _Monday, Monday, can't trust that day._

Harry pulled away quickly and smiled.

"Hey Malfoy, still under house arrest I see," he joked.

Draco's form had returned, but his eyes darted between the both of them.

"Yeah, you saw to that." His lips quirked in a firm half smile. _Could that be jealously? Not over that tiny little peck. _Hermione wondered.

"Better get home to Ginny. Keep an eye on her Malfoy, she's trouble." Harry jested. _More like IN trouble. _Hermione found herself thinking. There was a tiny furrow in Draco's incredibly perfect brow, a frown perhaps. "G'night Hermione, Malfoy."

"Night, Harry." Hermione replied stepping into the flat.

"Potter," Draco said nodding.

Harry disappeared with a pop.

Draco looked down at her. He raised an eyebrow and closed the door.

"Been to the pub without me have you?" He asked.

"How can you tell?"

"The sober-up spell still leaves your cheeks a bit rosy. Potter's awfully affectionate when he's sauced," He commented.

"He's not sauced and are you insinuating that someone would have to be drunk to be affectionate with me?" Hermione asked, raising a brow as well. Draco fought the urge to smile. He didn't know she could do that.

"No, I've offered my affections as sober as a saint several times, but apparently you have to be a little less sober for that to happen." He replied, treacherous lips smirked. _It's not a smile, it's a smirk, _his mind reasoned.

"Right, a lot less sober actually," She lied.

"Well, why don't you take a shower and give me a chance to get you drunk Hermione Granger. There a bottle of wine and a warm dinner on the roof top. I promised you a Monday night dinner remember?"

She hadn't remembered at all actually.

"I think you just improved my Monday Draco. Minus the whole getting me drunk part I think that was the best thing I've heard all day."

"Good, put on something nice," Draco said, pushing her towards the shower gently. "It's all a bit of a surprise."

Draco actually smiled instead of smirked as the water in the shower came on and Hermione singing rang from bathroom. "Oh, Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee, that Monday evening you would still be here with me."

He shook his head.

"Poor fish."

**. . . . . . . . . . . .**

_Alright another chapter and I better call it a night I've got work in five hours…feel the dedication…feel it…now review…please… newayz I hope you enjoyed._

_The song "Monday, Monday" belongs to the Mama's and the Papa's. Harry and his pals belong to the wonderful J.K. and this whole chapter was inspired by a single commercial for the show "Dirty Jobs" which is now moving to Mondays. Odd. Goodnightishmorning. Yours, T.Cupp_

_P.S. Just bear with me on the grammatical errors. It's five in the morning for cripe's sakes. :)_

_P.P.S. Many thanks go to my esteemed reviewers: **Lightest'Ink, Crayon Chewer, Karma2Ualwayz, The Grich Witch**__**, ShadowMoonDancer, Addicted Weasley, -Heart P- , Megsy42, AnneM.Oliver, wait.siriusly.**__** , Lordofthecrayons, Robyn Hawkes, **__**jillianunleashed, touchthemoon985,**__** and spikeecat. **Seriously, I think you all underestimate how much the reviews mean to me, they make me incredibly happy and excited. Thank you so much, they're like digital rainbows. So keep makin' rainbows people. : )_


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